scholarly journals A Continuous-Flow Model for in vitro Cultivation of Mixed Microbial Populations Associated With Cystic Fibrosis Airway Infections

2019 ◽  
Vol 10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas James O’Brien ◽  
Martin Welch
Keyword(s):  
Cystic Fibrosis ◽  
Continuous Flow ◽  
Flow Model ◽  
Microbial Populations ◽  
In Vitro Cultivation ◽  
Cystic Fibrosis Airway ◽  
Airway Infections

scholarly journals One versus Many: Polymicrobial Communities and the Cystic Fibrosis Airway

mBio ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Fabrice Jean-Pierre ◽  
Arsh Vyas ◽  
Thomas H. Hampton ◽  
Michael A. Henson ◽  
George A. O’Toole
Keyword(s):  
Cystic Fibrosis ◽  
Species Interactions ◽  
Rrna Gene ◽  
Microbial Composition ◽  
Community Function ◽  
Cystic Fibrosis Airway ◽  
Airway Infections ◽  
Culture Independent ◽  
Polymicrobial Communities

ABSTRACT Culture-independent studies have revealed that chronic lung infections in persons with cystic fibrosis (pwCF) are rarely limited to one microbial species. Interactions among bacterial members of these polymicrobial communities in the airways of pwCF have been reported to modulate clinically relevant phenotypes. Furthermore, it is clear that a single polymicrobial community in the context of CF airway infections cannot explain the diversity of clinical outcomes. While large 16S rRNA gene-based studies have allowed us to gain insight into the microbial composition and predicted functional capacities of communities found in the CF lung, here we argue that in silico approaches can help build clinically relevant in vitro models of polymicrobial communities that can in turn be used to experimentally test and validate computationally generated hypotheses. Furthermore, we posit that combining computational and experimental approaches will enhance our understanding of mechanisms that drive microbial community function and identify new therapeutics to target polymicrobial infections.

scholarly journals Recapitulation of polymicrobial communities associated with cystic fibrosis airway infections: a perspective

2019 ◽  
Vol 14 (16) ◽  
pp. 1437-1450 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas J O'Brien ◽  
Martin Welch
Keyword(s):  
Cystic Fibrosis ◽  
Metabolic Pathways ◽  
Interspecies Interactions ◽  
Microbial Ecosystems ◽  
Cystic Fibrosis Airway ◽  
Airway Infections ◽  
Infection Models ◽  
Mammalian Infection ◽  
Polymicrobial Communities

The airways of persons with cystic fibrosis are prone to infection by a diverse and dynamic polymicrobial consortium. Currently, no models exist that permit recapitulation of this consortium within the laboratory. Such microbial ecosystems likely have a network of interspecies interactions, serving to modulate metabolic pathways and impact upon disease severity. The contribution of less abundant/fastidious microbial species on this cross-talk has often been neglected due to lack of experimental tractability. Here, we critically assess the existing models for studying polymicrobial infections. Particular attention is paid to 3Rs-compliant in vitro and in silico infection models, offering significant advantages over mammalian infection models. We outline why these models will likely become the ‘go to’ approaches when recapitulating polymicrobial cystic fibrosis infection.

scholarly journals Within-Host Evolution of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Reveals Adaptation toward Iron Acquisition from Hemoglobin

mBio ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rasmus Lykke Marvig ◽  
Søren Damkiær ◽  
S. M. Hossein Khademi ◽  
Trine M. Markussen ◽  
Søren Molin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cystic Fibrosis ◽  
Pseudomonas Aeruginosa ◽  
Iron Acquisition ◽  
Chronic Infections ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Mortality And Morbidity ◽  
Airway Infections ◽  
Host Evolution ◽  
Promoter Mutations

ABSTRACTPseudomonas aeruginosaairway infections are a major cause of mortality and morbidity of cystic fibrosis (CF) patients. In order to persist,P. aeruginosadepends on acquiring iron from its host, and multiple different iron acquisition systems may be active during infection. This includes the pyoverdine siderophore and thePseudomonasheme utilization (phu) system. While the regulation and mechanisms of several iron-scavenging systems are well described, it is not clear whether such systems are targets for selection during adaptation ofP. aeruginosato the host environment. Here we investigated the within-host evolution of the transmissibleP. aeruginosaDK2 lineage. We found positive selection for promoter mutations leading to increased expression of thephusystem. By mimicking conditions of the CF airwaysin vitro, we experimentally demonstrate that increased expression ofphuRconfers a growth advantage in the presence of hemoglobin, thus suggesting thatP. aeruginosaevolves toward iron acquisition from hemoglobin. To rule out that this adaptive trait is specific to the DK2 lineage, we inspected the genomes of additionalP. aeruginosalineages isolated from CF airways and found similar adaptive evolution in two distinct lineages (DK1 and PA clone C). Furthermore, in all three lineages,phuRpromoter mutations coincided with the loss of pyoverdine production, suggesting that within-host adaptation toward heme utilization is triggered by the loss of pyoverdine production. Targeting heme utilization might therefore be a promising strategy for the treatment ofP. aeruginosainfections in CF patients.IMPORTANCEMost bacterial pathogens depend on scavenging iron within their hosts, which makes the battle for iron between pathogens and hosts a hallmark of infection. Accordingly, the ability of the opportunistic pathogenPseudomonas aeruginosato cause chronic infections in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients also depends on iron-scavenging systems. While the regulation and mechanisms of several such iron-scavenging systems have been well described, not much is known about how the within-host selection pressures act on the pathogens’ ability to acquire iron. Here, we investigated the within-host evolution ofP. aeruginosa, and we found evidence thatP. aeruginosaduring long-term infections evolves toward iron acquisition from hemoglobin. This adaptive strategy might be due to a selective loss of other iron-scavenging mechanisms and/or an increase in the availability of hemoglobin at the site of infection. This information is relevant to the design of novel CF therapeutics and the development of models of chronic CF infections.

scholarly journals Genomic Analysis Identifies NovelPseudomonas aeruginosaResistance Genes under Selection during Inhaled Aztreonam TherapyIn Vivo

2019 ◽  
Vol 63 (9) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kathryn McLean ◽  
Duankun Lee ◽  
Elizabeth A. Holmes ◽  
Kelsi Penewit ◽  
Adam Waalkes ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cystic Fibrosis ◽  
Positive Selection ◽  
Single Gene ◽  
Genomic Analysis ◽  
Maximal Activity ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Cystic Fibrosis Airway ◽  
Bacterial Fitness

ABSTRACTInhaled aztreonam is increasingly used for chronicPseudomonas aeruginosasuppression in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF), but the potential for that organism to evolve aztreonam resistance remains incompletely explored. Here, we performed genomic analysis of clonally related pre- and posttreatment CF clinical isolate pairs to identify genes that are under positive selection during aztreonam therapyin vivo. We identified 16 frequently mutated genes associated with aztreonam resistance, the most prevalent beingftsIandampC, and 13 of which increased aztreonam resistance when introduced as single gene transposon mutants. Several previously implicated aztreonam resistance genes were found to be under positive selection in clinical isolates even in the absence of inhaled aztreonam exposure, indicating that other selective pressures in the cystic fibrosis airway can promote aztreonam resistance. Given its potential to confer plasmid-mediated resistance, we further characterized mutantampCalleles and performed artificial evolution ofampCfor maximal activity against aztreonam. We found that naturally occurringampCmutants conferred variably increased resistance to aztreonam (2- to 64-fold) and other β-lactam agents but that its maximal evolutionary capacity for hydrolyzing aztreonam was considerably higher (512- to 1,024-fold increases) and was achieved while maintaining or increasing resistance to other drugs. These studies implicate novel chromosomal aztreonam resistance determinants while highlighting that different mutations are favored during selectionin vivoandin vitro, show thatampChas a high maximal potential to hydrolyze aztreonam, and provide an approach to disambiguate mutations promoting specific resistance phenotypes from those more generally increasing bacterial fitnessin vivo.

scholarly journals Polymicrobial Interactions in the Cystic Fibrosis Airway Microbiome Impact the Antimicrobial Susceptibility of Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Antibiotics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (7) ◽  
pp. 827
Author(s):  
Emma Reece ◽  
Pedro H. de Almeida Bettio ◽  
Julie Renwick
Keyword(s):  
Cystic Fibrosis ◽  
Pseudomonas Aeruginosa ◽  
Airway Disease ◽  
Chronic Infections ◽  
Sensitivity Testing ◽  
Antimicrobial Sensitivity ◽  
Cystic Fibrosis Airway ◽  
Airway Microbiome ◽  
Diverse Community

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is one of the most dominant pathogens in cystic fibrosis (CF) airway disease and contributes to significant inflammation, airway damage, and poorer disease outcomes. The CF airway is now known to be host to a complex community of microorganisms, and polymicrobial interactions have been shown to play an important role in shaping P. aeruginosa pathogenicity and resistance. P. aeruginosa can cause chronic infections that once established are almost impossible to eradicate with antibiotics. CF patients that develop chronic P. aeruginosa infection have poorer lung function, higher morbidity, and a reduced life expectancy. P. aeruginosa adapts to the CF airway and quickly develops resistance to several antibiotics. A perplexing phenomenon is the disparity between in vitro antimicrobial sensitivity testing and clinical response. Considering the CF airway is host to a diverse community of microorganisms or ‘microbiome’ and that these microorganisms are known to interact, the antimicrobial resistance and progression of P. aeruginosa infection is likely influenced by these microbial relationships. This review combines the literature to date on interactions between P. aeruginosa and other airway microorganisms and the influence of these interactions on P. aeruginosa tolerance to antimicrobials.

scholarly journals Hyperencapsulated mucoid pneumococcal isolates from patients with cystic fibrosis have increased biofilm density and persistence in vivo

2018 ◽  
Vol 76 (7) ◽  
Author(s):  
Evida A Dennis ◽  
Mamie T Coats ◽  
Sarah Griffin ◽  
Bing Pang ◽  
David E Briles ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cystic Fibrosis ◽  
Pseudomonas Aeruginosa ◽  
Continuous Flow ◽  
Biofilm Formation ◽  
Capsular Polysaccharides ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Pneumococcal Colonization ◽  
Phase Variants

AbstractMucoid bacteria, predominately Pseudomonas aeruginosa, are commonly associated with decline in pulmonary function in children with cystic fibrosis (CF), and are thought to persist at least in part due to a greater propensity toward forming biofilms. We isolated a higher frequency of mucoid Streptococcus pneumoniae (Sp) expressing high levels of capsular polysaccharides from sputa from children with CF, compared to those without CF. We compared biofilm formation and maturation by mucoid and non-mucoid isolates of Sp collected from children with and without CF. Non-mucoid Sp serotype 19A and 19F isolates had significantly higher levels of biofilm initiation and adherence to CF epithelial cells than did serotype 3 isolates. However, strains expressing high levels of capsule had significantly greater biofilm maturation, as evidenced by increased density and thickness in static and continuous flow assays via confocal microscopy. Finally, using a serotype 3 Sp strain, we showed that highly encapsulated mucoid phase variants predominate during late adherence and better colonize CFTR–/– as compared to wild-type mice in respiratory infection studies. These findings indicate that overexpression of capsule can enhance the development of mature pneumococcal biofilms in vitro, and may contribute to pneumococcal colonization in CF lung disease.

scholarly journals Changes in the Cystic Fibrosis Airway Microbiome in Response to CFTR Modulator Therapy

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Buqing Yi ◽  
Alexander H. Dalpke ◽  
Sébastien Boutin
Keyword(s):  
Cystic Fibrosis ◽  
Essential Role ◽  
Genetic Defect ◽  
Limiting Factors ◽  
Major Life ◽  
Treatment Scheme ◽  
Cystic Fibrosis Airway ◽  
Airway Infections ◽  
Airway Microbiome ◽  
Airway Physiology

The development of CFTR modulator therapies significantly changed the treatment scheme of people with cystic fibrosis. However, CFTR modulator therapy is still a life-long treatment, which is not able to correct the genetic defect and cure the disease. Therefore, it becomes crucial to understand the effects of such modulation of CFTR function on the airway physiology, especially on airway infections and inflammation that are currently the major life-limiting factors in people with cystic fibrosis. In this context, understanding the dynamics of airway microbiome changes in response to modulator therapy plays an essential role in developing strategies for managing airway infections. Whether and how the newly available therapies affect the airway microbiome is still at the beginning of being deciphered. We present here a brief review summarizing the latest information about microbiome alterations in light of modern cystic fibrosis modulator therapy.

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